God protects us through his word. It is more than just reading a few appropriate verses and going about our merry way. It is all about making it a reality in any situation we face. Psalm 91 can be lived to the fullest in facing adversity. Even if we may have made a few mistakes or two and gotten into a bit of a mess, God is there when we call on him. Life is messy. God isn't. He loves us, forgives us and helps us set things in order when we go to that special place in our minds where he can abide.
91 1-2 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High (Elyon) shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty Shaddai). 2 I will say of the Lord (Yahweh), He is my refuge and my fortress: my God (Elohim); in him will I trust. Psalm 91:1-2
I wrote out the Hebrew words in the parentheses because when we look at these 4 names of God and connect him to these promises in Psalm 91, it is breath-taking. The rest of Psalm 91 is filled with more wonderful promises that rest in God's signatures.
First of all we can dwell in the secret place of the most High. 'Elyon' is a name of God. Its root word has the meaning "to go up " or "be high". This name of God refers to God's supremacy, he is above that all that exists. 'Shaddai' refers to God as the Almighty. This refers to God's great power. His power doesn't control us; he leaves that up to our own choice but we can call on that power in a split second.
The third name of God listed in this Psalm is 'Yahweh'. 'Yahweh' emphasizes God's relationship to us and his creation. God is a refuge or shelter and a fortress to us. No one can help us like God can. He is our highest, almighty stronghold.
The last name listed here is Elohim, the God of creation. It is in the God of creation that we confide or trust in. The physical creation shows us his faithfulness. All around us are constant reminders of God's faithfulness through his creation. The sun rises and sets everyday without fail. Gravity is constant. We don't have to even think about whether gravity will fail us. It is faithful everyday and night. Birds fly, fish swim and flowers grow. All of these things are faithful blessings to us. There are so many examples of God's faithfulness in the universe. We have clear evidence of a God that we can confide in and trust.
The language in Psalm 91 is beautiful and reassuring. It is a good psalm to memorize and say out loud. As we do, the words exert a powerful force in our thinking because the God of the universe stands behind its words.
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